If you ask me, few inventions of the 20th century are more absolutely perfect than good old garage door openers. I’m not kidding. Now it seems so commonplace, but it wasn’t really that long ago when if people wanted to drive into their garage, they had to get out and open it themselves. What a hassle! And they are definitely worth todays garage door prices, which can be quite high. Thanks to great innovations surrounding radio waves, now we don’t even have to do anything but push a button. (Yet still this is too complicated for so many of us!) Unfortunately, sometimes garage door openers stop working, or we have to install a new door system and we are left to program the darn things ourselves. I don’t know about but I have had some frustrating times trying to program these things in the past. Now I know everything there is to know about the little magical “genies” so I can give you a brief overview.
The two most trusted names in the world of garage door openers are Genie and Chamberlain, the latter is well-known for their Liftmaster technology. Chamberlain also has a stellar opener in their Whisper Drive which has earned rave reviews from the press.
The main thing I look for is a simple-to-use interface. There always comes a day when I have to program these things for whatever reason, and at that point I want the least possible buttons and switches to deal with. I want a simple instruction booklet that does not read like physics. And I want a color that is not obtrusive, such as the typical grey maybe with a white button.
Genie Pro is a great product, too. This thing hangs on top of your garage ceiling and pulls the door up and down. You should look for the rolling-code technology so that your garage door can’t be hacked into by thieves or robbers. This is sort of like an encrypted way to keep your house safe, and that is always the first name of the game.
Finally, I’ll just mention something that I bet you haven’t even thought to look for in garage door openers: a light! Don’t overlook the importance and practicality of having a good light that works in tandem with the opening and closing of your garage door. Think about it: how else are you supposed to get from inside your car into your house without an overhanging light? It’s not like you’ll be able to get to a light switch, and most people’s garages are dark. These are the main things to keep in mind when buying an opener for your garage.
Tags: chamberlain, Garage door openers, Genie Pro, liftmaster, operners
